Footprints of genetic susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis: Cytokine gene variants in north Indians.

Background & objectives: Tuberculosis is (TB) responsible for high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cytokines play a major role in defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Polymorphisms in the genes encoding the various pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines have been associated with tuberculosis susceptibility. In this study we examined association of 25 sequence polymorphisms in six candidate cytokine genes namely IFNG, TNFB, IL4, IL1RA, IL1B and IL12 and their related haplotypes with risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among north Indians. Methods: Pulmonary TB (n=110) patients and 215 healthy controls (HC) from north India were genotyped. Purified multiplex PCR products were subjected to mass spectrometry using Sequenom MassARRAY platform to generate the genotypes in a population-based case-control study. Results: Using multiple corrections, significant overall risk against PTB was observed at seven loci which included variants in IFNG at rs1861493 and rs1861494; IL1RA at rs4252019, IL4 variant rs2070874, IL12 variants rs3212220, rs2853694 and TNFB variant rs1041981. Analysis of gene structure revealed two haplotype blocks formed by IFNG variants rs1861493 and rs1861494. The TA haplotype was significantly over-represented (P=0.011) in the cases showing a two-fold risk in the current population (Odds ratio=1.59 CI=1.101 to 2.297) and TNFB variants at rs2229094 and rs1041981 contributed to two haplotypes which were in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) with AT haplotype showing a three-fold risk (P=0.0011, Odds ratio=3, CI=0.1939 to 0.7445) of developing PTB in north Indians. Interpretation & conclusions: Our study showed six novel associations of cytokine gene variants with susceptibility to PTB in north Indians. Variants of IFNG and TNFB emerged as factors imposing a significant risk of developing PTB in north Indians apart from risk indicated by IL1RA, IL4 and IL12.

A Study of Prevalence of Depression in Diabetes Mellitus: Analysis from Urban India.

Background: The chronic debilitating conditions, i.e., diabetes and depression are associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Both these interlinked chronic conditions contribute to their worst outcomes. Aims: The objective of the present study was to analyze the frequency of depression in diabetes and its correlation with demographic details like age, sex, domicile, education, income, and marital status. Settings and Design: The study was conducted in the private diabetic clinic in outer Delhi (Rohini). Subjects and Methods: Totally, 250 patients attending the outpatient department of private diabetic clinic were assessed with Beck Depression Inventory Scale which was a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory. Results: Among the study population, 11.6% of the patients had co-morbid depression with more prevalence in females when compared with males. The demographic analysis revealed that depression incidence was higher in urban population, lower socio-economic class, and in patients with diabetes more than 5 years when compared with their counterparts and similar in graduate and undergraduate student population. Interestingly, the numbers of depression cases were found only in married population contrary to none in unmarried category. Conclusion: Present study concluded that co-morbidity of depression is prevalent in diabetic population with three times higher frequency than the considered feature of mild depression.